I think I've settled my doubts about the chickens surviving a Chicago winter in their Eglu. Now I'm thinking about how well the eggs will survive the cold.
Two of my pullets are now laying, but they do so during a time of day that I'm usually not home. I know the laying cycle is supposed to be about every 25 hours, meaning they won't be laying at the same time every day, but if I'm not there to get the eggs right away in the winter will they freeze?
At what temp does an egg in shell freeze? Winter days here typically range from 35-20 F, but sometimes drop as low as 15 F. If they lay eggs in the nest box in the AM or early afternoon and I can't collect the eggs until I get home (which may be as much as 9 hours later) then will the eggs be frozen?
Anyone with an Eglu (or even just a small coop of some sort) in a place with cold winters that can share your experience with this?
Of course, I'm assuming that the girls will continue to lay through the winter, which will hopefully be the case!
Two of my pullets are now laying, but they do so during a time of day that I'm usually not home. I know the laying cycle is supposed to be about every 25 hours, meaning they won't be laying at the same time every day, but if I'm not there to get the eggs right away in the winter will they freeze?
At what temp does an egg in shell freeze? Winter days here typically range from 35-20 F, but sometimes drop as low as 15 F. If they lay eggs in the nest box in the AM or early afternoon and I can't collect the eggs until I get home (which may be as much as 9 hours later) then will the eggs be frozen?
Anyone with an Eglu (or even just a small coop of some sort) in a place with cold winters that can share your experience with this?
Of course, I'm assuming that the girls will continue to lay through the winter, which will hopefully be the case!
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